Uniqlo is a Japanese casual wear designer, manufacturer, and retailer, founded in 1984 in Hiroshima, Japan, as the Unique Clothing Warehouse.
Despite being a part of a saturated industry, Uniqlo rapidly made its place in the market. With time, Uniqlo spread out its stores, and today it owns more than 2,000 stores in 15 countries.
Uniqlo’s parent industry is Fast Retailing which is among the five largest clothing retailers globally.
The brand owner is Tadashi Yanai, who is the richest person in Japan. Uniqlo offers some of the best contemporary wear of this era, and it has rapidly formed a cult that follows the brand religiously.
This article will discuss if Uniqlo is a good brand if it is fast fashion and explore other aspects of its products.
Is Uniqlo a Luxury Brand?
Uniqlo is not essentially a luxury brand. On the contrary, the brand focuses on casual clothes used as everyday wear.
The brand sells contemporary wardrobes with basics that everybody needs. If you are looking for a unique element in Uniqlo by going through its clothing collections, you are looking in the wrong place.
Uniqlo expresses its quirk by the prices at which they offer their clothes. The brand is ridiculously cheap, which is part of the reason why everybody is obsessed with it.
When you walk into the store, you will be surprised to see the prices of jeans as low as $40, hoodies and jackets for $30, and the characteristic jackets of the brand for $70.
The brand focuses on providing the masses with what they need, even if it is basic. Their strategy revolves around the fact that they sell products that nobody runs out of buying.
There will always be customers who need the basic stuff such as jeans, tees, and hoodies.
Is Uniqlo better than H&M?
H&M or Hennes & Mauritz is a discount retailer founded before Uniqlo and has now grown into one of the most remarkable and recognizable brands in the fashion industry.
H&M has focused a significant amount of time and energy on its expansion, and it has paid off handsomely.
As of now, H&M has 4,372 brick-and-mortar stores open worldwide which makes it rank higher than Uniqlo, which has around 2,000 stores.
What makes H&M markedly different from Uniqlo is its tendency to follow the trends and bring in unique outfits that no other brand thought of making.
H&M is in the business of setting new trends and ensuring that their customers are walking, talking brand ambassadors.
As compared to H&M, Uniqlo focuses on staples such as versatile black pants, reliable oxfords, crisp cotton socks, and so on. These staples never go out of fashion and hence why Uniqlo’s business strategy centers around basics and staples.
As such, the difference between H&M and Uniqlo does not get prominent but when you analyze their business policies and strategies, it is evident that their mottos are different.
One cannot decide which brand is better as it is a subjective opinion. Some people like H&M better due to its unique collections, a fresh take on clothing, and the wide variety of articles they offer.
Is Uniqlo Cheap Quality?
Uniqlo is not of cheap quality despite the cheap costs it offers. The quality is phenomenal and top-notch. While fast fashion is not usually good in quality, Uniqlo breaks this stereotype by not letting the price compromise the quality.
Uniqlo is known for the durability of its products, Uniqlo believes that if you invest money in something, be it an article or something bigger, it should last a lifetime or at least a huge chunk of it.
Uniqlo aims to create pieces that are made from materials that are durable in quality and lasting in character.
All of their articles are cut in a timeless fashion which enables the purchaser to think of these clothes as investments. They get the most out of these articles as compared to the rampant culture of disposable fashion.
While these articles won’t last a lifetime, they will at least let you wear them out a few seasons which is more than what you can say for other brands nowadays.
Why is Uniqlo Cheap?
The brand strategy of Uniqlo reflects a clear motto that inspires people to dress more casually instead of running after new trends.
Uniqlo’s fashion strategy is centered around completely ignoring fashion instead of chasing fast-fashion trends that make the world on a treadmill all the time.
The company has a clear brand philosophy that focuses on making clothes for everybody instead of creating quirky articles that appeal to a selected population.
They make clothes irrespective of gender, age, ethnicity, race, and other identifications that people usually go by.
Uniqlo actually works contrary to its name i.e., they make clothes that are simple, casual, and can be worn anytime, anywhere. The reason why their clothes are so inexpensive is that Uniqlo has the ability to change manufacturers pretty easily.
They have a lot of resources and have a reliable supply chain which makes it easy for them to switch between manufacturers.
Secondly, they order high-volume amounts so that the orders are in bulk form which makes it easier for the manufacturers to give out at low prices.
One of the brand’s goals is to make their clothes common to a wide range of demographics which makes their customer base a large one. This leads to great profits, sales, and skyrockets their business.
However, if you are someone who generally likes to be up-to-date to the ongoing trends and loves to wear bright, glittery clothes and sequins, Uniqlo is not the store for you.
Is Uniqlo Ethical?
Uniqlo is an excellent brand with a clear vision and authentic business goals. Their philosophy resonates with everybody irrespective of their identifications and makes them likable to all demographics.
The brand sells phenomenal quality at a cheap rate which is rare these days and hence makes them stand out among thousands.
Is it Fast-Fashion?
Yes, it is. Tadashi Yanai has a considerate vision when it comes to sustainability. The owner of the infamous brand believes in contributing to the wellness of society.
Their vision is evident from their brand statement which is as follows: “Changing clothes. Changing conventional wisdom. Change the world.”
They procure their raw materials while keeping animal welfare in mind. They forge strong relationships with their supply chain and fulfill their rights to the core.
Uniqlo is committed to eliminating waste in its operations so that it can keep pollution to a minimum. All of these steps and more shows that Uniqlo is a sustainable and fash-fashion brand, focusing on giving back to society and the environment.
